Carry a binocular for a closeup view of the rocket, you will be seated at a good distance from the actual launch.
BHPian Sandegov recently shared this with other enthusiasts:
We recently did the ISRO Launch Witness Program, travelling from Bangalore and thought I would share the experience for the benefit of others. Our PSLV launch for the Proba3 mission was postponed by a day in the last minute due to a technical anomaly and we could not witness the live launch much to the disappointment of the kids in the group, please plan and prep the kids for such last minute changes if you plan to do this.
What is the ISRO Launch Witness Program?
ISRO as part of its outreach program has introduced a live launch witness program for the general public to come and view the rocket launches at Sriharikota.The visitors can view launch from the gallery in real time with naked eyes. Large screens are also placed to visually explain the various intricacies of launcher and satellites. In addition, pre and post launch activities will be telecasted and explained through these screens to the viewers.
How to register and what are the charges levied by ISRO?
- Link to register :https://lvg.shar.gov.in/VSCREGISTRATION/index.jsp
- You will need to keep checking ISRO websites and social media handles for announcement of launch dates.
- Registrations on the above link will open only closer to launch dates.
- Once the primary member has registered you will need to add visitors with their ID details within 3 hrs otherwise the slots will be put back into the pool.
- ISRO has made this completely free of cost and there is no payment to be made.
- Please make sure you give the id details that you will be carrying on the day of travel, the security check will ask for ids mentioned during registration.
- Once done ISRO issues a pass immediately with details of members and their ids and check in times etc, please take a print out of this.
Logistics:
Location: Sriharikota Tirupati District AP
Gmaps location for view gallery: https://maps.app.goo.gl/EGJQc3Sm74BnyECu6
Route(for Bangalore folks):
- BLR-Chitoor-Tirupati-Kalahasti-Sriharikota
- One way Distance : ~300km
- BLR(Hoskote Toll) – Tirupati : Can be done in 3.5-4Hrs easily
- Tirupati – Sriharikota : Can be done in 2-2.5Hrs
Road condition:
- BLR-Chitoor : Standard 4 Lane highway in good condition with tar road in KA and Cement road in AP. Moderate traffic.
- Chitoor-Tirupati: Great runway like highway with good tarmac and very light traffic.
- Tirupati-Kalahasti: Mixed bag with new highway construction+state highway.
- Kalahasti-Sriharikota: Narrow broken state highway with lots of potholes, will slow you down.
Food options:
Good options in BLR -Mulabagal stretch, next option would be Tirupati and not much after that.
Stay Options(Mainly depends on Launch time):
- Option 1 : Stay in Tirupati and head to Sriharikota. Lots of options across all budget, foodwise etc.
- Option 2 : Stay in Sriharikota. Limited options staywise and foodwise. You will still be staying a min 45min to 1hr away from launch site.
On the day of Launch:
- Getting in to Sriharikota and to view gallery is pretty standard affair with lots of security guiding you.
- Plenty of open parking lot available.
- Ids will be checked and then let into the entrance to gallery.
- Be prepared to walk abt 400-500mts from parking to gallery.
- Standard security check and bag scan at gallery doors.
- Weather will be typical coastal weather – sunny, hot, humid. Carry umbrellas and dress light.
- No food options inside Sriharikota – we were denied access to the Canteen and told you will need a seperate pass for it (guessing via ISRO employees). Temporary food stalls at the view gallery will be available but I would highly suggest to plan your lunch/breakfast outside or carry something along.
- Expect lots of school groups
- Well organised with folks engaging with school groups via quiz and other programs
- Allow 30mins for mini meseum of sort in the building
- Arriving 1.5 hrs at parking lot before launch time should suffice.
- Carry a binocular – for a closeup view of the rocket, you will be seated at a good distance from the actual launch and the rocket going up will be visible to naked eye too. Plus there will be large screens relaying live visuals of the launch.
- Most of the CISF security deployed there would be on temp duty , expect very limited information from them in terms of the facilities etc inside.
Pictures:
Entrance to the stadium like view gallery:
View from the gallery. The rocket launch will be seen from behind the treeline:
Watch out for these 4 structures behind the treeline, we were told the launch would happen from here:
View Gallery:
Final odo reading back home:
Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.
